I was surprised to hear a Pacific-slope Flycatcher vocalizing in my yard in east Flagstaff at 6:00 am today, 4 July. I chased it down the street in an attempt to record its voice but it got away. This date is approaching the end of about a three week period when there are very few reports for the state. Perhaps drought conditions throughout the west will cause more abnormal movement.

An hour later a screaming call drew me out to see a juvenile Peregrine Falcon circling the neighborhood. I suspect this species nests somewhere on Mt. Elden.

Just curious--how did you know it was Pacific-slope? We still have Cordillerans calling daily in our Flagstaff neighborhood. I am no empid expert, but I've read in a few places that these two species are generally indistinguishable by voice (see here: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/2996)

I have seen the accounts of the issues about similarities in the song and calls of these two species and am aware there is dispute about some of the findings. In the appropriate breeding habitat for Cordilleran Flycatcher in the Flagstaff area I have yet to hear the call notes, that to me sound like a backwards rendition of Cordilleran, that are generally attributed to Pacific-slope Flycatcher throughout Arizona. During migration, the majority of lowland and away-from-breeding habitat "Western" Flycatchers give this call when either vocalizing on their own or in response to playback and are generally asserted to be Pacific-slope Flycatchers by most Arizona birders. I live in east Flagstaff and am not in appropriate breeding habitat for Cordilleran and have never heard one in my yard though they certainly breed within 1 1/2 miles of my house. Until conclusive data is shown, I and colleagues are fine in calling these birds Pacific-slope Flycatchers. Good question and thanks for bringing it up.